Situated on the edge of the Cotswolds, the market town of Banbury offers shopping, cafes, a cinema and a museum. Nearby is the ancient town of Chipping Norton, steeped in history and culture, and set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Chipping Norton boasts a popular weekly market, numerous book and antique shops, many cafes, restaurants and pubs serving excellent food and local ales, art galleries, a museum and a thriving theatre. Via winding hedge-lined country lanes explore the surrounding villages built of Cotswold or warm honey coloured Horton stone with beautiful parish churches and welcoming pubs, many of which have excellent food. Art galleries, museums and historic sites abound. Also the glorious hidden treasure of moated Broughton Castle is close by. Blenheim Place, the ancestral home of Sir Winston Churchill and the Dukes of Marlborough and the unspoilt towns and villages of Woodstock, Burford and Stow-on-the-Water are just a short drive away. Oxford, the oldest university city in England and known as ‘The City of Dreaming Spires’ has an abundance of attractions, namely the 38 colleges of the university, the Bodleian Library, Botanic Gardens, museums and theatres, as well as playing host to many festivals and markets. Stratford-upon-Avon, birthplace of William Shakespeare and home to the Royal Shakespeare Company’s theatre, Warwick with its magnificent, world-renowned castle and Royal Leamington Spa make a lovely day out. Also glorious gardens to visit include Hidcote, Kiftsgate, Stowe and Rousham. Enjoy many types of motor and superbike racing at Silverstone, cart racing at Shenington, horse racing at Stratford, Warwick or Towcester, try fly-fishing on the River Windrush or spend a day shopping at Bicester Village Designer Outlet. Banbury is an ideal holiday location.
